The Hunger Games Accuses Harry Potter Fans of Trademark Violation Over Charitable Campaign

With the release of The Hunger Games in theaters this past weekend, the film is still fresh on fans minds throughout the world, but it seems the Harry Potter Alliance’s Imagine Better Project is hoping to profit off the fan with their new slogan. However, Lionsgate is not to thrilled with the slogan and has issued a takedown notice to the project.

Lionsgate and The Hunger Games have accused Harry Potter fans of using their intellectual property, by way of the title of the novel and film and using it to promote their cause. The slogan, “Hunger is Not a Game” has been used for campaigning by Harry Potter Alliance’s Imagine Better Project for their charitable cause.

Lionsgate studio claims that the project which is being let by the fan group in partnership with Oxfam is attempting to “piggy back” off their incredibly successful motion picture. The studio also claims that the campaign is causing damage to their studio and their marketing efforts for The Hunger Games.

SVP Business Affairs & Litigation, Liat Cohen, states in a letter,

We are truly making an effort to work with you on this. We have the ability to take down your sites as a violation of our trademark and other intellectual property laws. We hope that will not be necessary as this is too serious a subject.”

Along with the slogan, Imagine Better also uses references to the movie and the novels by using phrases such as “The Water Games” and the use of “Districts.”

On the other side, an activist has launched a petition in response to Lionsgate, asking fans to support the project and callings for the studio to “to stand with us, not against us.”